Glossary
- accessions
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genetically distinct uniquely identifiable samples of plant genetic resources within a genebank
- adaptation
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in a climate change context, taking action to prepare for and adjust to both the current and projected impacts of climate change
- adaptive resource management
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a structured, iterative process for improved management practices based on implementing plans that reduce uncertainty and that allow for opportunities to learn from experience
- agroecological
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relating to ecological processes applied to agricultural production
- carbon sequestration
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the capture and storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide
- climate system
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an interconnected system consisting of five major components: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, the land surface, and the biosphere
- climate-ready plant collections
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plant collections that are resilient to the changing environment, with particular reference to climate-change
- crop wild relatives
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the wild undomesticated plants most closely related to agricultural crops that potentially possess useful traits/genes/alleles for crop improvement
- cultivar
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a crop variety produced by scientific breeding or farmer selection methods
- de novo
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Latin term meaning “from the beginning”
- developmental plasticity
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the property by which the same genotype produces distinct physical and physiological characteristics depending on the environmental conditions under which development takes place
- ex situ conservation
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conservation of plant genetic resources outside their natural habitat
- exceptional species
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plant species that are threatened or endangered
- food system
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the network of activities connecting people to their food
- genotype
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allelic constitution of an organism at one or more loci
- in situ conservation
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conserving plant genetic resources on-farm or within ecosystems
- introgression
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transfer of genetic information from one taxon (or parent) to another through hybridization and repeated backcrossing to one of the taxa (or parents)
- landrace
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a local plant variety, usually genetically heterogeneous, with distinctive characteristics arising from selection over time for adaptation to localized conditions or food preferences
- mitigation
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in a climate change context, actions that reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions or that lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
- passport data
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basic information about the origin of a genebank accession, such as collecting site or pedigree
- phenology
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cyclic and seasonal aspects of plant growth and development (such as flowering time)
- phenotype
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observable characteristic of an organism
- plant genetic resources
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the organs and tissues (seeds, fruits, cuttings, pollen, tissue cultures, etc.) by which plants can be propagated (synonymous with plant germplasm)
- plant genetic resources for food and agriculture
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plant genetic resources indispensable for crop genetic improvement essential for meeting current and future human needs
- plant germplasm
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the organs and tissues (seeds, fruits, cuttings, pollen, tissue cultures, etc.) by which plants can be propagated (synonymous with plant genetic resources)
- prebreeding
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introgression of desired genes from wild plant species (or crop wild relatives) into breeding lines; enrichment of a breeding population for particular genes and/or traits; and development of novel breeding populations
- vernalization
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necessary chilling prior to growth of dormant or quiescent plant materials (such as for seed germination)
